soldiers and marines in helmand and canada are encountered numerous i e d's or improvised -- helmand and kandahar encounter numerous improvised explosive devices. of the question is are these fatalities from roadside dime -- roadside bombs assigned the u.s. is making inroads in places they previously did not have success. a brigadier who commands ground forces and helmand province says -- taliban fighters suffered submitting casualties when they battle coalition troops. then they peppered the fields and orchards with ied's during the night. when that happens, the taliban tend to fall back, and such minefields are a last-ditch effort to hold off defeat, they say. the enemy would be glad to box off and put an area of mine field all the way around us. we will get back to your calls in a moment. "usa today" has a graphic, improvised explosive devices on the rise. of 2008's august versus 2009 and this year. ied incidents back in august of 2008, 4000 -- 439. last year, 1067. august of this year, more than 1200 attacks in afghanistan. montana. a bill on our democrats line. good morning. cal